This Week in Virology

Latest Episodes:

TWiV 1029: David Tuller on Long COVID and ME/CFS Jul 27, 2023

Show notes

David Tuller returns to TWiV to provide an update on ME/CFS, the PACE trial, developments related to the NICE guidelines, and how similar practices and ideologies are being applied to long COVID.

Host: Vincent Racaniello

Guest: David Tuller

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Links for this episode

MicrobeTV Discord Server
David Tuller at virology blog
CFS, a long tangled tale (virology blog)
Request for Correction of Prevalence Rates Cited in FND Paper (virology blog)
Estimates of long COVID prevalence (virology blog)
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 1028: Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and T cells Jul 23, 2023

Show notes

TWiV reviews approvals of the first gene therapy for severe hemophilia A in adults and a monoclonal antibody to prevent RSV respiratory disease in babies and toddlers, and a common allele of HLA that mediates asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection through pre-existing T cell immunity due to previous exposure to common cold coronaviruses.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker

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Links for this episode

MicrobeTV Discord Server
First gene therapy for hemophilia A approved (FDA)
Luxurna, gene therapy for vision loss (FDA)
Anti-RSV monoclonal antibody approved (FDA)
Trial of single-dose Nirsevimab (NEJM)
Letters read on TWiV 1028
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – Phoenix hits 110 degrees for the 19th day in a row, setting national record Brianne – James Webb Telescope One Year Anniversary Photo Kathy – Drone awards photos Alan – WHO Film Festival winners Vincent – Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Listener Picks

David – The Mass Extinction Debates: A Science Communication Odyssey

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 1027: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Jul 22, 2023

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in free-ranging white-tailed deer in the United States, Omicron subvariant BA.5 efficiently infects lung cells, COVID-19 scent dog research highlights and synthesis during the pandemic of December 2019, T-Cell Immunity against SARS-CoV-2 measured by an interferon-γ release assay is strongly associated with patient outcomes in vaccinated persons hospitalized with Delta or Omicron variants, a common allele of HLA is associated with asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection, and the immunology of long COVID.

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Links for this episode

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in white-tailed deer in the United States (Nature)
Omicron subvariant BA.5 efficiently infects lung cells (Nature)
COVID-19 scent dog research highlights during the pandemic of December 2019 (JOM)
T-Cell Immunity against SARS-CoV-2 measured by an interferon-γ release assay is strongly associated with patient outcomes (JID)
Common allele of HLA is associated with asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection (Naure)
Immunology of long COVID (Nature)
Contribute to our FIMRC fundraiser at PWB
Letters read on TWiV 1027
Dr. Griffin's COVID treatment summary (pdf)
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 1026: Debunking RFK Jr.'s vaccine funk with Dan Wilson Jul 16, 2023

Show notes

Dan Wilson returns to TWiV to debunk vaccine misinformation by RFK Jr. during his recent appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker

Guest: Dan Wilson

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Links for this episode

MicrobeTV Discord Server
Joe Rogan's worst misinformation yet, with RFK Jr. (YouTube)
Every first vaccine has been tested in placebo-controlled trials before going to market.
- Polio
- Measles
- HPV
- COVID-19
- HepB
- Haemophilus influenzae B
- Pertussis
- Diphtheria
- Tetanus
- Pneumococcal
- Mumps
- Meningococcal
- Chickenpox
- HepA
KiGGS Study results on atopic diseases after vaccination (Vaccine)
Vaccine history by year (CHOP)
Financing vaccines in the 21st Century (Nat Acad Press)
DALY rates from non-communicable diseases (Our World in Data)
Science loses one to creationism (WaPo)
Children's Health Defense (Wikipedia)
COVID-19 vaccines saved 3 million US lives (CIDRAP)
Beyond the Noise with Paul Offit (YouTube)
Letters read on TWiV 1026
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Dickson – Jazz G.O.A.T.S – Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald Brianne – Defining the Anthropocene? Kathy – How to use your thermostat on A/C Rich – Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Vincent – Step Aside, Joe Biden

Listener Picks

Kim – Virus found in a boreal lake links ssDNA and dsDNA viruses and Structure of ssDNA bacteriophage ΦCjT23 provides insight into early virus evolution

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 1025: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Jul 15, 2023

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses the new risk assessment for the H5N1 avian flu viruses, the development of monoclonal antibody-based blocking ELISA for detecting SARS-CoV-2 exposure in animals, repeated antibiotic exposure and risk of hospitalization and death following COVID-19 infection, COVID-19 rebound study: a prospective cohort study to evaluate viral and symptom rebound differences in participants treated with Nirmatrelvir plus Ritonavir versus untreated controls, exaggerated blood pressure elevation in response to orthostatic challenge a post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) after hospitalization, long term follow-up of a multicenter cohort of COVID-19 patients with pulmonary embolism, and risk of cardiovascular disease after COVID‐19 diagnosis among adults with and without diabetes.

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Links for this episode

New risk assessment for H5N1 avian flu viruses (CDC)
Development of monoclonal antibody-based blocking ELISA for detecting SARS-CoV-2 exposure (Virology)
Repeated antibiotic exposure and risk of hospitalization and death following COVID-19 infection (eClinicalMedicine)
COVID-19 Rebound Study (CID)
Exaggerated blood pressure elevation in response to orthostatic challenge (AN)
Long term follow-up of a multicenter cohort of COVID-19 patients with pulmonary embolism (TR)
Risk of Cardiovascular disease after COVID‐19 diagnosis among adults with and without Diabetes (JAHA)
Contribute to our FIMRC fundraiser at PWB
Letters read on TWiV 1025
Dr. Griffin's COVID treatment summary (pdf)
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 1024: The Chumakoviridae Jul 14, 2023

Show notes

Vincent speaks with Kostya Chumakov about his career: raised by two virology parents in Moscow, trained in virology by Vadim Agol, then moving to the US FDA where he developed a molecular test for measuring production consistency of oral poliovirus vaccine.

Host: Vincent Racaniello

Guest: Kostya Chumakov

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Links for this episode

MicrobeTV Discord Server
Mikhail Chumakov (Wikipedia)
MAPREC (WHO pdf)
Kostya Chumakov Symposium (YouTube)
Maprec and monkey neurovirulence of OPV (PNAS)
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 1023: Covering science with Katherine Wu Jul 09, 2023

Show notes

Katherine joins TWiV to discuss her career in science writing, from not liking science at all, to a PhD in microbiology and immunology, and writing for Nova, the NY Times, and The Atlantic, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted her craft.

Host: Vincent Racaniello, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker

Guest: Katherine Wu

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Links for this episode

MicrobeTV Discord Server
All Katherine's articles at The Atlantic
Vaccines still blocking severe disease (The Atlantic)
Calling Omicron mild is wishful thinking (The Atlantic)
Tattoos do odd things to the immune system (The Atlantic)
The Story Collider
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Weekly Picks

Brianne- Maropeng caves and Finding Homo naledi Kathy – Being Mary Tyler Moore Vincent – Google Isn't Grad School

Listener Picks

John – A new study found people are terrible at sitting alone with their thoughts. Alan – What if all viruses vanished?

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 1022: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Jul 08, 2023

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses autochthonous leprosy in the United States, a systematic review to identify novel clinical characteristics of Mpox virus infection and therapeutic and preventive strategies to combat the virus, two-year duration of immunity of inactivated poliovirus vaccine, evaluation of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 SIA impact in a large outbreak of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus in Nigeria, performance of rapid antigen tests to detect symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection, effectiveness of the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine, oral Nirmatrelvir and Ritonavir for COVID-19 in vaccinated, non-hospitalized adults ages 18-50 years, genome-wide association study of long COVID, vaccination ameliorates cellular inflammatory responses in SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections, and high incidence of autonomic dysfunction and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in patients with long-COVID.

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Links for this episode

Autochthonous leprosy in the United States (NEJM)
Systematic review to identify novel clinical characteristics of Monkeypox (Archives of Virology)
Two-year duration of immunity of inactivated poliovirus vaccine (JID)
Evaluation of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 SIA impact in a outbreak of vaccine-derived poliovirus in Nigeria (IDSA)
Performance of rapid antigen tests to detect symptomatic and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 (AIM)
Effectiveness of the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine (OFID)
Oral Nirmatrelvir and Ritonavir for COVID-19 in vaccinated, non-hospitalized adults (CID)
Genome-wide association study of long COVID (medRxiv)
Vaccination ameliorates cellular inflammatory responses in SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections (JID)
High incidence of autonomic dysfunction and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome in patients with long-COVID (AJM)
Contribute to our FIMRC fundraiser at PWB
Letters read on TWiV 1022
Dr. Griffin's COVID treatment summary (pdf)
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

TWiV 1021: Nextstrain with Trevor Bedford Jul 02, 2023

Show notes

From ASV 2023 in Athens, Georgia, Vincent, Kathy and Brianne speak with Trevord Bedford about his career, the development of Nextstrain.org for real-time tracking of pathogen evolution, and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 from January 2020 through Omicron.

Host: Vincent Racaniello, Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker

Guest: Trevor Bedford

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Links for this episode

MicrobeTV Discord Server
Nextstrain
Household influenza testing (Influenza Other Resp Viruses)
SARS-CoV-2 outbreak Washington (Sci Transl Med)
SARS-CoV-2 surveillance, Washington (Emerg Inf Dis)
S1 changes drive SARS-CoV-2 clade success (Cell Host Micro)
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

TWiV 1020: Clinical update with Dr. Daniel Griffin Jul 01, 2023

Show notes

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses guidance on measles during the summer travel season, the Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines on the diagnosis of COVID-19: antigen testing, SARS-CoV-2 variants and age-dependent infection rates among household and nonhousehold contacts, effect of COVID-19 vaccination on household transmission of SARS-COV-2 in the Omicron era, incidence of myopericarditis after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination, intrinsic and effective severity of COVID-19 cases infected with the ancestral strain and Omicron BA.2 variant in Hong Kong, safety, immunogenicity and protection of heterologous boost with an aerosolized Ad5-nCoV after two-dose inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in adults, awake prone positioning for non-intubated patients with COVID-19-related acute hypoxic respiratory failure, melatonin effects on sleep quality of COVID-19 patients, female reproductive health impacts of Long COVID and associated illnesses including ME/CFS, POTS, and connective tissue disorders, and incident autoimmune diseases in association with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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Links for this episode

Guidance on measles during the summer travel season (CDC)
Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines on the diagnosis of COVID-19 (CID)
SARS-CoV-2 variants and infection rates among household and nonhousehold contacts (CDC)
Effect of COVID-19 vaccination on household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the Omicron era (IJID)
Incidence of myopericarditis after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination (Science Direct)
Intrinsic and effective severity of COVID-19 cases infected with the ancestral strain and Omicron BA.2 variant (JID)
Safety, immunogenicity and protection of heterologous boost with Ad5-nCoV after two-dose inactivated COVID-19 vaccines (The Lancet)
Awake prone positioning for non-intubated patients with COVID-19-related acute hypoxic respiratory failure (BMC)
Melatonin effects on sleep quality of COVID-19 patients (BMJ)
Female reproductive health impacts of Long COVID and associated illnesses (FRS)
Incident autoimmune diseases in association with SARS-CoV-2 infection (CR)
Contribute to our FIMRC fundraiser at PWB
Letters read on TWiV 1020
Dr. Griffin's COVID treatment summary (pdf)
Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

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